Question

my son is 5 years old. Since two months ago, he started to blink, squint, roll his eyes to the top and sides excessively. these symptoms has been in increasing manner. the opthamologist said that he does not have myopia or any other eye problem. he's been given antihistamine drops , but it is not helping at all.Should you know what kind of symptoms these are related to, please reply as soon as possible. your attention regarding this matter is very much appreciated.

(Sulistiawati Hajadi)

Answer:

Dear Sulistiawati, This is a very difficult problem that you are asking me. Curiously, I have encountered two similar cases, where nothing could be found and a child age five rolled his eyes upward several times each days. Apparently, the opthalmologist thought it might be allergic, as he gave antihistaminic eyedrops. This is a good idea, at least one of the two I saw with that conditions had an allergy and, although the conjunctivitis was not very outspoken, I considered allergic conjunctivitis as very likely in that case. The other child I was unable to help, as I could not find anything wrong. Some would have interpreted that case as an example of a tic. I sure that your ophthalmologist has excluded neurological conditions as oculogyric crisis or benign paroxysmal tonic upgaze with ataxia, as these conditions can be readily recognized. Please let us know what happened further.

Yours truly,

(Herb Simonsz, MD, PhD)

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